Easy Ways to Boost Your Immune System

-Dr. Janelle Piercy, DC

I say it all the time, your body is smart! It wants to keep you healthy! It wants to keep you alive! You have an immune system that has the ability to defend your body against infections. So let’s discuss what you can do during these last few weeks of quarantine to get your immune system in peak shape!

Get some Sunlight! - We are so lucky to live in Florida! The sun is the best source of Vitamin D. Spending a few minutes a day outside in the sun can provide your body with all the vitamin D it needs for the day. Times will differ depending upon skin tone less, for lighter skinned people and more for darker skinned people. Start with 15 minutes outside and work your way up. You do not need to tan or burn to get the benefits of the sun. The body needs vitamin D to keep the nerves, muscles, and immune system working properly. Vitamin D plays a critical role in promoting the immune response. It has both anti-inflammatory and immuno-regulatory properties. Vitamin D is also known to enhance the function of the immune cells that protect your body against pathogens. Low Vitamin D levels are associated with an increased risk of respiratory diseases, including but not limited to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), asthma, tuberculosis, as well as viral and bacterial respiratory infections.
Get your Zinc on! - Zinc keeps your immune system strong, helps heal wounds, and helps hemoglobin bind to red blood cells which is really important in oxygenating the blood. Zinc is a popular treatment for the common cold. It helps with diaper rash and skin irritations, too. Zinc has also been shown to help ulcers, ADHD, acne, sickle cell anemia (remember the hemoglobin binding), and other conditions. You should be able to get plenty of zinc from your diet, but people who drink alcohol, are strict vegetarians, and people who have a poor diet are at risk for zinc deficiency. Sources of Zinc are red meat, poultry, oysters, beans, nuts and whole grains. Zinc may interact with some medications so talk to your healthcare practitioner to see if a zinc supplement is right for you.
Give me an A! Vitamin A that is! - Vitamin A is a fat-soluble compound highly important for our health. It helps with healthy vision, the immune system, reproduction, and healthy organs like the heart, lungs, kidneys, and more. Vitamin A is responsible for the health and maintenance of the mucus membrane. Vitamin A is also known as the “anti-inflammatory vitamin.” When you are deficient in Vitamin A, the mucus membrane is susceptible to infections, pollution and irritations, allergic reactions and more. While Vitamin A can be toxic in high doses, this is generally this due to mega-doses of synthetic Vitamin A. Talk to your natural healthcare professional to help you find a naturally sourced Vitamin A supplement or increase your intake of carrots, cantaloupe, spinach, sweet potatoes, liver, broccoli, salmon, eggs, squash, bell peppers, and more.
Why don’t snakes like Vitamin C? Because it’s an anti-hisstamine! - That’s right, Vitamin C is a natural anti-histamine. It’s also boosts the immune system. Vitamin C increases the oxygen-carrying capacity of the blood stream. People who bruise easily or bleed after flossing or brushing their teeth are often deficient in Vitamin C. This is because Vitamin C also helps with vascular integrity. You can find natural sources of Vitamin C in sweet yellow peppers, chili peppers, guavas, black currants, thyme, parsley, mustard spinach, kale, kiwis, broccoli, Brussel sprouts, lemons, lychees and more.
Let’s get physical! - 20 - 30 minutes of moderate exercise is all you need to boost your overall fitness and help improve your immune system. Researchers found that regular walking may lead to a higher number of white blood cells which can help fight infections. Physical activity may help flush bacteria out of the lungs and airways. This may reduce your chance of getting a cold, flu, or other illness. The brief rise in body temperature during and right after exercise may prevent bacteria from growing. This temperature rise may help the body fight infection better. (This is similar to what happens when you have a fever.) If you have not been exercising for a while, start slowly and don’t overdo it. Since you can’t go to the gym right now, check out work out videos on YouTube and facebook. Or just head outside to get your vitamin D and take a little walk.
I’d like to phone a friend! - Stay in communication with your friends and family. Google Hangouts, FaceTime, Skype and more are great ways to see and stay in communication with your people. Keeping a positive mental attitude has been shown to keep your immune system healthy as well.
Goodnight Sweetheart, Goodnight! - Sleep helps the immune system! Sleep is also when you heal. Researchers in Germany found that sleep improves T cells. T cells are a type of immune cell that fights against intracellular pathogens, such as flu, HIV, herpes, and cancer cells. Poor sleep can also increase inflammation, blood pressure, insulin resistance, weight gain, and cardiovascular disease. Remember adults need 7-9 hours while elementary aged children and teens need 8-11 hours of sleep. Younger children need even more.
Wash your hands! - good hygiene is your first line of defense. So wash your hands, take a shower, brush your teeth, etc.
Turn off the TV - ok really the news, allow yourself 20 minutes to get caught up if you must, but stress from the news actually reduces your immune system. So watch cat videos or funny washing your hands videos. Maybe spend some time meditating. Anything to help you destress.
Check yourself before you wreck yourself! - Ok, so this one is all about watching what you eat and getting your nutrition back in check. Sugar, alcohol, and processed foods wreck your immune system. So doing all of the above will help you improve your immune system, but bottom line, you can’t outrun bad eating habits and you can’t out supplement a poor diet. Start food journaling to see where you can decrease sugars. A lot of people are working on learning new skills during quarantine, this is a great time to work on cooking healthy and nutritious meals.